University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) professor Christopher Opio is being honoured by his alumni, the University of Alberta (U of A), for his work in Uganda.
In 2007, he and UNBC colleague Tony Donavan founded the Northern Uganda Development Foundation (NUDF) to provide safe drinking water and locally managed projects for Ugandans.
To date, NUDF has opened 42 wells, providing more than 50,000 people with access to clean water, and local farmers are now earning incomes from sustainable projects.
Opio, who was born and raised in northern Uganda, holds a doctorate in agricultural, life and environmental sciences from the U of A. As a result of his work through NUDF, Opio was named one of Canada's Top 10 Champions of Change in 2010.
The U of A's alumni awards recognition ceremony will be held Thursday in Edmonton.
